Marketing is no longer a news as virtually all business owners are aware of its importance. Since marketing can make or mar your business; it important we revisit what marketing is.
What is marketing?
Marketing is defined simply as the provision of goods or services to meet customer needs… the truth is that anyone can use these simple tricks even without cash.
Successful Marketing, however requires certain efforts, knowledge, research, planning and preparation. Marketing in the dark (without doing your homework) is both foolish and costly. Many entrepreneurs and small business fall victim of this. Choosing the right marketing strategies, are essential for both short- and long-term success.
Knowing how and where to market is only part of the Big Challenge. It must be combined with a clear understanding of why you are marketing and why a specific strategy is being used.
Each of the steps below can be performed individually, and should be used often. The knowledge you will gain about yourself, business and market is invaluable. When these steps are combined, you have a recipe for successful marketing that will stand the test of time, even in changing markets. Use these 5 Simple Steps to Marketing Success to develop marketing plans, campaigns, product promotions, marketing strategies and more to meet your specific business goals.
- Start with a goal. Before embarking on any marketing endeavor define what you’re selling and the desired end result or goal.
- Identify your market, or target audience. Who needs or uses your product or services?
- Dig out where your market is hiding. Combine research and creativity to discover the whereabouts of your market, or target audience.
- Strategize how to reach your market. Be careful not to let your circumstances drive this step so you can discover many ways to reach your market.
- Choose one or more strategies and begin marketing. Considerations may be timing, inventory.